Textile spindle assembly



March 3, 1970 R; c. HARE 3,498,554

TEXTILE SPINDLE ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 29, 1968 [Ea/'6 & V4 5 M M 221%,

United States Patent TEXTILE SPINDLE ASSEMBLY Richard C. Hare,Whitinsville, Mass., assignor to The George E. Clentimack Co., Inc.,North Attleboro,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Jan. 29, 1968, Ser. No.701,249 Int. Cl. B65h 75/30, 79/00 US. Cl. 24246.2 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A high-speed textile spindle assembly having a bobbinsupported and driven by a rotating spindle of the type having its centerof gravity located axially beyond one end of the bobbin. The spindleblade and bobbin are coupled together between the bobbin center ofgravity and spindle center of gravity, as at the juncture of the bobbinbutt and yam-receiving portion, the bobbin and spindle blade have twocontrol portions to limit eccentricity, one adjacent the drivingcoupling, and one axially displaced therefrom near the end of thespindle blade.

Background of the invention The field of the invention relates totextile spindle assemblies such as are employed in spinning frames andtwisters.

One way to increase the production of spinning frames and twisters is toincrease the speed at which bobbins, and spindles, are driven. As speedsrise, however, stress loads increase and vibration problems arise. Athigher speeds, even complex damping techniques permit undesirable levelsof noise and vibration and top drive bobbins tend to rise. Where thebobbin can be supported at the center of gravity of the rotating spindlestructure, the expedients disclosed in my Patent No. 3,327,466 mayprofitably be used. However, in many instances spindles are designed sothat the center of gravity of the rotating spindle structure liesaxially beyond one end of the bobbin, and a different construction mustbe found to enable high speed operation at permissible levels ofvibration.

Summary of the invention Objects of the invention are to provide forspindles having a center of gravity as described above, an improvedspindle construction for driving a bobbin which will reduce vibrationand noise and increase speed and load-carrying capacity; which willpromote settling of the bobbin on the spindle if it should rise duringoperation; which avoids breaking and cutting of yarn and is relativelyunaffected by accumulations of yarn on the whorl neck; and which can beeasily and economically converted from existing spindle assemblies bysimple machining operations.

According to the invention, the rotating spindle structure and bobbinare arranged so that the bobbin is supported on the spindleintermediate, preferably approximately mid-way, the bobbin center ofgravity and rotating spindle structure center of gravity. The bobbin canfulcrum about the support location to an extent limited by a controlportion axially displaced from the supporting portion and closely spacedradially from the bobbin.

In one highly practical embodiment, the bobbin is of a conventionalshape with a relatively thin yarn-receiving portion and a relativelyheavy butt portion, and the spindle-supporting portion is coupled tosaid bobbin approximately at the juncture of said winding and buttportions; the spindle-control portion is tapered, and fits within astraight bore in the bobbin; and a second control portion is provided onthe spindle adjacent the supporting "ice portion to limit eccentricityof the bobbin if it rises dur- 1ng operation.

These and other novel features and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description of specific embodiments.

Description of the drawing spindle assembly pertinent to the presentinvention. The

assembly includes a conventional tubular base 10 with clamping nut 12and flange 14 for mounting on a support 16. Bearings (not shown) withinbase 10 receive rotating spindle structure S which comprises an elongateblade 20 journalled in the bearings, and a whorl 22 press-fitted to theblade. A drive belt 24 imparts the requisite rotary motion to the whorland thus also to blade 20. A bobbin B, receiving a yarn mass Y, iscoupled to the blade 20 as shown in FIG. 2 and hereafter to bedescribed. In accordance with the invention, the center of gravity ofthe rotating spindle structure S, represented by line C-G-S, is axiallybeyond one end of the bobbin B.

The illustrated bobbin B, typically made of wood, is of standard typeand comprises a relatively thin, upwardly tapered yarn-carrying portion30 tipped with a brass shield 32. At the bottom, the bobbin terminatesin an enlarged, relatively heavy butt 34 encircled by split steel rings36. When empty, the bobbin has its center of gravity at line C-G-B-E; asthe bobbin fills with yarn, its center of gravity rises slightly, forexample to line C-G-B-F, and therefore the bobbin center of gravity willlie within band C-GB.

In accordance with the invention, an axial longitudinal bore withinbobbin B receives the blade 20 as follows: The blade 20 engages thebobbin B only with a short, upwardly tapered support portion 40 locatedaxially intermediate the full bobbin center of gravity CG-BF and thespindle center of gravity C-G-S. Although it is discovered that enhancedspeed capability results when support 40 lies anywhere within thisrange, it is preferable for best results that support 40 be locatedaxially, as illustrated, approximately mid-way between the empty bobbincenter of gravity CGBE and the spindle center of gravity C-G-S.Conforming to support portion 40 on the blade is a tapered bore portion50 located on the bobbin B approximately at the juncture of yam-carryingportion 30 and butt 34. The frictional coupling between support 40 andbore portion 50 is sufiicient to rotate the bobbin without slippage whenthe blade is driven. By driving the bobbin directly from the blade whichis the spindle member of greatest concentricity, the liklihood of bobbineccentricity is reduced with a corresponding reduction in vibration.

Above support 40, the blade tapers uniformly upwardly, for example at.006 inch per inch, as is customary. Its central portion 42 is receivedin the bobbin by a first straight bore 52 providing relatively wideclearance, for example .0l0 -.040 inch. The blade top or control portion44 is received in the bobbin by a smaller diameter, second straight bore54 providing less clearance and acting to limit pivoting movement of thebobbin about support 40. Since support 40 is of limited axial length,for example bobbin B can fulcrum thereabout to compensate for imbalance,but the arrangement between blade control portion 44 and bore 54 must besuch as to prevent excessive beating of the bobbin during operation. Inthe present invention this is accomplished by tapering blade controlportion 44 and placing it in straight bore 54 for a length L of, forexample, an inch and a quarter, with a radial clearance of, for example,.002.005 inch at the bottom end of bore 54.

Directly beneath support portion 40, blade 20 is pro vided with a shortsafety control portion 46 received by a bobbin bore 56 with a radialclearance typically of .003- .005 inch. This safety control does notinterfere with fulcruming of the bobbin about support 40, but acts toprevent the bobbin from rotating too eccentrically if it should rise offsupport 40- during operation. If the bobbin rises, safety control 46prevents it from cramping or locking in an eccentric position, and thusencourages the bobbin to return to proper engagement.

Beneath safety control 4656, butt 32 is provided with a large boreforming an annular space 60 of wide clearance between bobbin B andspindle S into which whorl neck 26 fits. Yarn wrapping around the whorlneck can accumulate in this space to a substantial extent withoutinterfering with the fit between bobbin and spindle, and without dangerof being cut by any part of the spindle assembly.

The above-described bobbin and spindle engagement ofiers a number ofimportant advantages. First, and most important, it permits much higherspeed operation. Second, the bobbin shows no tendency to rise from thespindle during operation. Third, the spindle can be economicallyreworked from existing top-drive, and other, spindles, and can producehigher speeds with existing low-rated load bearings and damping systems.As an example of these advantages, sample spindles reworked inaccordance with the present invention, were tested and have run smoothlyand stably with full bobbins from 5,000 to 23,000 rpm. Also, the bobbinshave shown no tendency to rise during entire doff cycles, each ofseveral hours duration. This represents a considerable advance inperformance, achieved economically.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for supporting and rotating a bobbin having an axial bore,said apparatus being of the type comprising:

elongated spindle means adapted to be rotated about its longitudinalaxis and receivable within the axial bore of said bobbin with the centerof gravity of its rotating mass axially beyond one end of said bobbin,said spindle means comprising a whorl and a blade; said apparatuscharacterized by said blade having a supporting portion coupling saidbobbin to said spindle means for rotation therewith and being of limitedaxial extent to allow said bobbin to fulcrum about said portion;

said supporting portion being axially located intermediate the fullbobbin center of gravity and the spindle means center of gravity; and

said blade having a control portion axially displaced from saidsupporting portion and being closely radially spaced from said bobbinfor limiting pivoting thereof about said supporting portion.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said blade further comprises asafety control portion adjacent said supporting portion and closelyradially spaced from said bobbin, thereby to limit eccentricity of thebobbin if it should rise oif the supporting portion during operation.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said supporting portion istapered and engages a conforming tapered portion in said bobbin axialbore.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said blade control portion istapered, and fits within a straight bore portion in said bobbin axialbore.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said supporting portion islocated approximately mid-way between the empty bobbin center of gravityand the spindle means center of gravity.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bobbin is of the typehaving a relatively thin yarn-carrying portion and an enlargedrelatively heavy butt portion at one end, characterized in that saidsupporting portion engages said bobbin approximately at the juncture ofsaid yarn-carrying and butt portions.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said supporting portion isdisplaced axially from the lower end of the bobbin, and said blade issurrounded by an annular space between the lower end of the bobbin andthe supporting portion to permit yarn accumulation.

8. A textile bobbin having an axial bore for receiving therewithinelongated spindle means having the center of gravity of its rotatingmass axially to one end of said bobbin, comprising: a yarn-carryingportion and an enlarged butt portion at the lower end thereof; said axilbore comprising a tappered coupling portion located axially intermediatethe full bobbin center of gravity and the spindle means center ofgravity; a first straight bore portion thereabove freely separated fromsaid spindle means; a second straight bore portion above the first andclosely radially spaced from said spindle means to limit pivoting of thebobbin; a third bore portion adjacent said coupling portion and closelyradially spaced from said spindle means to limit eccentricity of saidbobbin if it rises out of coupled engagement with said spindle means;and a fourth bore portion in said butt forming an annular space aroundsaid spindle means, thereby to permit yarn accumulation withoutinterfering with engagement of the bobbin and spindle means.

9. A textile bobbin according to claim 8 wherein said coupling portionis located approximately midway between the empty bobbin center ofgravity and the spindle means center of gravity.

10. A textile bobbin according to claim 8 wherein said coupling portionis located approximately at the juncture of said yarn-carrying and buttportions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 340,093 4/1886 Chapman 242---46.2357,066 2/1887 Colby 242-462 458,431 8/1891 Sidebottom 24246.2 2,922,2741/1960 Sacchini 57l30 3,190,580 6/1965 Guerin et al. 24246.2l 3,327,4666/1967 Hare 242-462 XR STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner W. H.SCHROEDER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 242ll8

